Join us on Monday evenings for an introductory course exploring the development of Islamic Fiqh, the evolution of juristic thought, and the reasons behind scholarly differences.

The class will be taught by Shaykh Ehab Kelani in Arabic, with live English translation by Shaykh Hosam Helal, making it accessible to a wide range of students. 

Please note: Certificate of Completion will be offered for those that successfully pass the assessment

Please note: Completion of Level 1 is NOT required to join Level 2.

Program Details:

Start Date: Monday, June 22nd Duration: 6 weeks* (June 22 -  July 27)
Schedule: Every Monday
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM 
Location: Education Centre, ISNA Canada (2200 South Sheridan Way, Mississauga, ON L5J 2M4)
Age: 18+

Fee: $65.00

Important Information:

• Format: This course takes place in-person. Each session will include approximately 90 minutes of teaching time with breaks for salah.
• Attendance: All students will be writing the exam. Only students who pass the final exam AND have attended 80% of classes in-person will be eligible to receive a certificate for this course.
• Children Policy: Children are not permitted in the sessions. Please make alternate arrangements.
• Student Resources: Students will be provided with a coursebook and have access to a secure online portal where they can view class video recordings and download the corresponding lecture slides.
• Refunds: All registrations are final – no refunds will be issued
• *Class schedule and location may be subject to change due to unforseen circumstances. We will do our best to communicate any updates in a timely manner via email. 

Beginning with the Prophetic era, students will explore how legal understanding was rooted in revelation, moral purpose, and practical application. The course then examines the era of the Companions, where interpretive judgment (ijtihād) was exercised in new contexts as Islam expanded beyond the Hijaz. From there, we trace the institutionalization of Fiqh during the Umayyad and Abbasid periods, when legal methodology, scholarly circles, and regional practices began to crystallize. We then explore the evolution of Fiqh towards modernity and the contemporary context, while briefly addressing the diasporic experience.

A major focus of the course is the emergence of the legal schools (madhāhib)—how they formed, what distinguished them methodologically, and how they reflected different approaches to textual evidence, reasoning, custom, and public welfare. Students will study the intellectual contributions of the great jurists, the role of hadith transmission, the development of uṣūl al-fiqh, and the scholarly etiquette that governed disagreement (ikhtilāf). We will discuss answers to the following questions: Must we commit to a madhab? Are we in a post-madhab era? How do madhāhib (legal schools) maintain their relevance and legitimacy across time, cultures, and space?

Rather than presenting Fiqh as a set of static rulings, this course highlights it as a dynamic scholarly tradition; deeply principled, methodologically rigorous, and historically conscious. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to appreciate legitimate juristic diversity, avoid oversimplification, and engage Islamic law with intellectual humility and confidence.

 

For any questions or to inquire about financial assistance, please email programs@isnacanada.com.